CITING the influence they have on the public, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday appealed to television show and film producers to project credible election-related storylines and scenes in their productions.
In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia urged producers of TV shows and films to help educate the public by showing truthful election-related scenes.
“We just want to ask them that, while it is true that it (TV show or film) is fictional by nature, we hope it won’t result to misinformation, which the public may believe. The characters and the story may be fictional, but hopefully the laws and the rules we are implementing and they are showing will be truthful and not fictional,” Garcia said.
The poll chief said they are willing to help educate and inform producers and scriptwriters of TV shows and films in coming out with truthful election-related storylines.
“We are very much willing to inform them what are the policies during the campaign period and during elections,” he said.
Garcia made the call after poll lawyer Romulo Macalintal called the Comelec’s attention to the erroneous depiction of a scene in popular TV show “Batang Quiapo” in its March 5 episode.
In the said scene, the “mayor of Manila”, a character played by Albert Martinez, rebuked the “vice mayor of Manila,” portrayed by Chanda Romero, for alleged engagement in “premature campaigning” activities.
“The candidates are supposed to know that there is no more premature campaigning in our automated elections and, therefore, there is nothing illegal to post political ads before the start of the campaign period,” Macalintal said in a statement.
“It is the responsibility of ‘Batang Quiapo’ producers to see to it that its viewers get the right and correct information about our election rules so as not to cause any confusion among the electorate,” he said.
Macalintal said people behind the television series should be invited by the Comelec to its office to educate them of election laws and rules.
Garcia said Batang Quiapo representatives are expected to come to the Comelec on Thursday regarding the episode cited by Macalintal.
RED-TAGGING
The Bayan Muna party-list yesterday asked the Comelec to conduct an investigation on the alleged black propaganda and red-tagging activities targeting them and other party-list organizations running in the May 2025 polls.
In a letter submitted to the Comelec, Bayan Muna said action should be taken against those who have been violating Resolution No. 11116, or the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines.
“There has to be a concerted effort to pin down perpetrators, especially if there is a strong notion that this red-tagging and defamation campaign is sponsored by someone or something powerful such as the state,” said Bayan Muna.
“(We call on Comelec to) investigate the massive and widespread black propaganda perpetrated against Bayan Muna and other affected party-lists and candidates for the purpose of filing criminal cases against the perpetrators of these unlawful activities,” it also said.
The party-list group reported said it has been the subject of a massive and nationwide black propaganda and vilification campaign since the start of the campaign period.
“Volunteers and organizers of Bayan Muna from different parts of the country have documented several unlawful forms of campaign, either by destruction, defamation, vilification, and red-tagging of its lawful campaign materials,” said Bayan Muna.
Included in the list of incidents cited by Bayan Muna are their campaign materials in Cubao, Quezon City; Taytay, Rizal; Cotabato City; Iloilo City; and Tacloban City.
“The foregoing campaign materials have already been taken down by Bayan Muna organizers, campaigners, and volunteers after its proper documentation,” said Bayan Muna.
Last month, the Comelec issued Resolution No. 11116, which provides the guidelines on the anti-discrimination and fair campaigning for the May 2025 polls.
Among its provisions include the ban on “labeling,” which refers to the act of categorizing, classifying, labeling, branding, associating, naming, and accusing groups and/or organizations as ‘vocal dissenters’ and activists or subversive group sympathizers or terrorists, or belonging to a criminal group/syndicate without evidence, in connection with or in relation to any election-related activity.”
LOCAL ABSENTEE VOTING
The Comelec yesterday extended the period to apply for Local Absentee Voting (LAV) in the May 12 polls, citing the numerous requests for extension and the forthcoming Holy Week.
In Resolution No. 11120, the Comelec en banc moved the last day to file LAV applications to March 17 from March 10.
“In light of numerous requests for extensions of the aforementioned deadlines from various government units, offices, agencies, and departments and considering the observance of Holy Week from April 17 to April 20, 2025, the Commission deems it necessary to amend Comelec Resolution No. 11091,” it said.
“The deadline of receiving applications for Local Absentee Voting by the Committee on Local Absentee Voting (CLAV) from ‘not later than March 10, 2025 (Monday)’ to ‘not later than March 17, 2025 (Monday)’,” it also said.
Relative to this, the poll body also moved the deadline of the period to verify whether the applicants are eligible for the LAV to April 11 from April 8.
The Comelec also moved to April 27 from April 21 the deadline for the transmittal of the list of qualified LAV voters from the Committee on LAV.
The LAV is a voting system that allows qualified individuals who are assigned to perform election duties on Election Day to cast their votes ahead of the general public.
Qualified individuals include government officials and employees, AFP and PNP members, and members of the media.
However, only the positions of senators and party-list organizations can be voted by those availing the LAV.
The LAV for the May 2025 polls is set on April 28 to 30.
